Fortunately, despite all the misfortune and calamity.
A win yesterday would have put Dallas alone in first place. The loss put them alone in last. Ladies and gentlemen, your NFC East...
This division looks like a bucket of something a cat threw up. That was the absolute best game the Giants are capable of. The Eagles are a healthy hot mess of ineptitude. The Commanders are still the dysfunctional Keystone Cops they always are.
If Dallas was healthy, they'd almost have this division wrapped up by now. But "if" never listens to reality, as we all know.
Unlike the other East teams, we know this isn't the Dallas Cowboys. There are at least two more gears for this team to go to, eventually, when the best two players on the roster return. Some plays are getting made, but not enough, and especially not enough to eliminate the mistakes by those who aren't supposed to matter. Turnovers remain a frustratingly one-way street. Every penalty or mistake is making twice the dent they would if all hands were on deck.
Still, I remain impatiently optimistic through this grueling wait, although the mulligans are running thin.
At least Cassell is significantly better than Weeden, particularly when you consider he just got here. He should only improve as we go as he gets more comfortable with his team and playbook, even with the Seattle defense next up. At least he's not afraid to play quarterback, unlike Weeden, who would probably cry, literally, if he played against Seattle this week. Good gosh, he's a chicken you-know-what.
Dez is soon to arrive. Hopefully Seattle, but if not, by Philadelphia. That should make the entire passing game better, which should then feed this resurgent running game we saw yesterday. The Eagles game looks winnable, as does Tampa. And lest we forget, the Seahawks are 2-4, too, and they're actually healthy. That's not as impossible as it sounds.
Marinelli's defense has its parts now (although Ro McClain looked awful yesterday), and I fully expect this turnover outage to restore itself soon. It just doesn't make sense, and football tends to finds its way to an even level if the talent is on hand. This has to turn Dallas' way soon defensively.
Lastly, Romo is three games away. What will be left when he gets here? What will the division standings look like? Will 8 wins win the division or will it take 9? Nobody's winning 10 unless Dallas suddenly goes on a roll.
The others in this division don't have a Dez and Romo on the way. They are what they are already, 8-8 teams at best. As bad as it's been for Dallas, the Cowboys are only 1.5 games out of first place. This is not time to panic, though it darn sure feels like it. Sheesh.
This will either be a season to remember for all time, or a cataclysmic crash of the highest of hopes. That happens when elite QBs go down, but it stings just the same.
Thankfully, the football gods hocked a loogie on this division, and hope remains real and possible.
So there's that.
